Well I was out for my first week of ice fishing Alberta last week! Mostly just walking on different lakes with my dad. The initial day was tough since I drove all night after work and ended up in Edmonton around 8AM. Packed up and hit the lake by noon. It was pretty windy and cold. Holes were filling with snow and nothing was happening. Finally saved the skunk with one of my tinniest walleye to date.

Then day two we headed back out much earlier for a hope at an AM bite. Nothing but a couple lousy snakes. So we packed up and moved postitions... fished a drop to a deeper flat and nothing. Just started drilling holes across the lake and finally found some fish. Picked up a bunch the second evening but nothing huge.

Day three we got a tip on a lake and decided to go check it out. Found it to be absolutely full of three inchers. After drilling a 100 + holes all over this lake I finally smoked a 12 inch on the Len Thompson. Hit so hard I thought it was a pike. That was it and we decided to jet somewhere else. Hit another lake for last hour of light and ended up with 5 more decent perch and lost a couple pigs.

Day 4 headed back out early am and gave it out best spot in the location where big fish are supposed to roam and there was absolutely nothing. So we went in search. Pulled our sleighs all the way across the lake to where we usually fish later season. Turned out it was a good move and well worth the walk. Started getting fish as soon as we arrived but really tapered off last hour of light to nothing. Which was funny because previous two days that was show time. That's fishing for you.

Last day a Facebook buddy said the whites were on the prowl so we headed out to try something different. They sure were on the prowl. My dad and I both dont fish whitefish much and each of us lost about 7 on the slender spoon and wetaskawin special. The fish would inhale the spoon and upon setting the hook it would just come out of their mouth without hooking up. We both hooked one and each lost them. Mine was a big one and came off right at the hole. Then buddy got this one on the jaw jacker right as we were packing up to go. It was fun watching them circling like sharks though.

Great report, those two you (?) are holding are real beauties, thanks for sharing.

Can I ask how you process them? I grew up in Europe and we used to grind them and make fish patties from them because of their bones, really love those and am wondering if that's how they're processed here as well.

Great report, those two you (?) are holding are real beauties, thanks for sharing.

Can I ask how you process them? I grew up in Europe and we used to grind them and make fish patties from them because of their bones, really love those and am wondering if that's how they're processed here as well.

Actually I just fillet them and fry them up in butter with some salt and pepper! Taste excellent.